Wishlist

Cheeseburgers are a staple of great American cooking. Whether it’s a hot summer day or you feel like grilling in the blustering, chilly depths of winter, there are few dishes more comforting than a well-crafted version on this meaty handheld. While everyone has their own take on this classic, there are number of ways you can really bring your homemade cheeseburgers to the next level. Here are five tips for making great cheeseburgers:

1. Go big on toppings
For some, a simple slice of American cheese atop a beef patty might be more than enough, but others of us choose to go bold. You can affix almost anything to a burger with the right mindset. Consider your favorite veggies, homemade pickles or relish, a fried egg, potato chips, avocado and other options that will give your cheeseburger a signature flavor.

2. Find the right bun
If you want to go all out on your cheeseburger, learn how to bake bread at home so you can make your own buns. Otherwise, simply make sure that you purchase the right bun for the job. Serious Eats recommends finding a sturdy bun that can soak up more juices if you decide to cook a big burger, whereas softer, smaller buns may work for smaller, flat patties.

3. Double down on cheese
Don’t be afraid to indulge your wildest cheese preferences. Pretty much any cheese will taste good when it’s melted on top of a juicy beef patty. Consider the possibilities: Gruyere with caramelized onions, a soft Chevre with poached pear slices, or a couple slices of Swiss with sauteed mushrooms, just to name a few.

4. Don’t make meatballs
If you’re the type of person who likes to add a bunch of ingredients to your ground beef before grilling your burgers, it may be time to reconsider. According to National Public Radio, adding seasoning and other ingredients into you meat mix may lead to your burgers having an undesirable rubbery texture. Avoid this by only seasoning the outside of your patties, and allow the rest of the flavor to come from your toppings.

5. Don’t buy into the one flip rule
Research done in the Burger Lab at Serious Eats suggests that the old rule of only flipping a burger once may not be the best way to cook a burger evenly. Don’t be afraid to flip your burger at regular intervals as it cooks;in fact, it may speed up the overall cooking time.